In the last few months I’ve added brazen mercantilism to the cause-related marketing blog; Google Ads, Amazon, and now a “Lemonade Stand” with products for informal learners, which I write about on my other blog at The Learner's Guild.

None of these blatantly commercial efforts, however, really lend themselves to cause-related marketing.

So in the next few weeks the blog will also feature aprons, cutting boards, mousepads, sweatshirts, and… as required by law in more than 87 countries…T-shirts. All showcasing several cheeky versions of the Alden Keene & Associates logo above.

On the occasion of my 250th post I’m pleased to announce that when you buy any merchandise item with the Alden Keene logo, Alden Keene will donate $1.50 to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA). There is no upper limit on the donation and the campaign will continue until Sept 2009. COTA is an effective, honorable, and well-run charity that helps kids get life-saving organ transplants.

We all know that the wait-list for organ transplants can be horrendous. What isn’t well known is that most hospitals in the United States won’t undertake an organ transplant until there is proof of payment in advance.

The average price for a liver transplant… the most common organ transplant surgery… is $300,000! Even families with 90/10 insurance still have to come up with a $30,000 deductible before a hospital will accept them. And that doesn’t include things like the airfare and hotel necessary when the hospital is far away. COTA helps families raise the money necessary and negotiate the rocks and shoals of the organ transplantation process.

Why all the shameless emphasis on profit-making you ask? Hey, someone’s got to put my kids through college. And since they’re under 10, nobody wants to employ them. What else am I going to do?